English Idioms | ESL (English as a second language) lessons to improve fluency form Skillshare

Skillshare offers various courses to help improve fluency in English, including lessons on idioms for ESL learners. Idioms are expressions that have a figurative meaning different from their literal meaning, and mastering them can significantly enhance fluency and comprehension in English.
If you’re learning English, you will have probably heard people using phrases that don’t always make sense.

You might have heard people say things like:

“He’s driving me nuts!”
“Your guess is as good as mine”
“I’ve had it up to here with you”
These phrases are known as idioms. Idioms exist in every language, but what are they?

An idiom is a phrase or an expression that does not make sense literally. Instead, it has a figurative meaning that is different from its literal meaning.

For example:

If somebody says, “He’s driving me nuts,” it does not mean that somebody is driving, and it has nothing to do with nuts! In fact, “He’s driving me nuts” means “He is annoying me.”
Native speakers of English will naturally inherit idioms because they will have heard them growing up. However, if you are learning English as a second language and it is not your native language, idioms can be extremely difficult to understand.

This course is for non-native speakers of English who want to improve their comprehension skills. The course is taught entirely in English by me, a native British English speaker, and we’re going to look at the most useful idioms in English.

Skills you will gain

Related Skills
Lifestyle
Understanding and using idioms can significantly enhance your ability to navigate everyday conversations and social interactions. Idioms often reflect cultural nuances, making your communication more relatable and engaging in various lifestyle contexts.
Communication

  • Enhanced Understanding: Grasping the figurative meanings behind idioms improves your comprehension skills.
  • Effective Expression: Using idioms allows you to express ideas more vividly and naturally.
  • Conversational Skills: Idioms are frequently used in informal conversations, helping you sound more like a native speaker.

English

  • Fluency Improvement: Incorporating idioms into your speech makes your English sound more fluent and natural.
  • Cultural Insight: Idioms often carry cultural significance, giving you deeper insights into English-speaking societies.

Languages

  • Comparative Learning: Understanding English idioms can help in learning idioms in other languages, highlighting similarities and differences.
  • Translation Skills: Knowing idioms enhances your ability to translate texts more accurately by conveying the intended meaning rather than a literal translation.

Speaking

  • Natural Speech: Using idioms makes your speech sound more natural and less robotic.
  • Engaging Storytelling: Idioms can add color and humor to your stories and anecdotes.
  • Confidence: Familiarity with idioms boosts your confidence in speaking English.

Grammar

  • Sentence Structure: Learning idioms helps you understand various sentence structures and how they can be used creatively.
  • Contextual Grammar: Using idioms requires a good grasp of grammar to ensure they fit correctly within sentences.

ESL (English as a Second Language)

  • Listening Comprehension: Idioms are common in spoken English, so understanding them improves your listening skills.
  • Practical Usage: Lessons on idioms focus on practical usage, making your language learning more relevant to real-life situations.
  • Engagement: Idioms often make language learning more fun and engaging, keeping you motivated.

By developing these related skills, you’ll enhance not only your understanding and use of idioms but also your overall proficiency in English. This holistic approach will make you a more effective and confident communicator in various settings.

What you will learn

Course Outline
Introduction to Idioms

  • Definition of idioms
  • Examples and their meanings
  • Importance of idioms in English communication

Common Idioms and Their Meanings

  • Idioms related to emotions (e.g., “He’s driving me nuts”)
  • Idioms related to situations (e.g., “Your guess is as good as mine”)
  • Idioms related to frustration (e.g., “I’ve had it up to here with you”)

Contextual Usage

  • How idioms are used in everyday conversation
  • Examples from movies, TV shows, and literature

Practice Sessions

  • Interactive exercises to use idioms in sentences
  • Role-playing scenarios to practice idiomatic expressions

Tips for Mastering Idioms

  • Techniques for memorizing idioms
  • Strategies for incorporating idioms into your vocabulary
  • Resources for further practice (books, websites, apps)

Conclusion

  • Summary of key points
  • Final tips for using idioms confidently
  • Encouragement to keep practicing

Why Take This Course?

  • Improve Fluency: Using idioms can make your English sound more natural and fluent.
  • Better Understanding: Enhance your comprehension of native speakers in conversations, movies, and TV shows.
  • Expand Vocabulary: Add interesting and expressive phrases to your vocabulary.
  • Cultural Insight: Gain a deeper understanding of English-speaking cultures through idiomatic expressions.